Can Hamsters Eat Shrimp? Find Out Now!

Can your hamster eat shrimp? Is it good for them? Or is it toxic to them? If you’re wondering about the answers to these questions, fret not, you’ll find it all here. 

Shrimp continues to dominate the top spot in the top 10 seafood consumed by Americans, according to the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) latest Fisheries of the United States report. As a shrimp lover myself, I was naturally curious to find out whether I can share my favorite seafood with my hamster safely. 

Join me as I examine if shrimp is healthy for hamsters and the types of shrimp that are safe for hamsters. I will also let you know if hamsters can eat other shrimp-related products.

Scroll on to find all the information you need on feeding shrimp to your hammy! 

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• Can Hamsters Eat Chicken? All You Need To Know!
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Can Hamsters Eat Shrimp?

Yes! You can feed your hamster shrimp, but here are some things you have to take note: 

1. Saltwater Shrimp or Freshwater Shrimp?

Shrimp resides in both saltwater and seawater although around 80% of shrimp species reside in the ocean. So, which kind of shrimp is best? Naturally, saltwater shrimp contains higher levels of sodium due to their natural habitat, which isn’t good for our pet hamsters. 

If you want to give shrimp to your hamster, freshwater shrimp is a healthier choice.  

2. Pay Attention To The Mercury and Sodium Content 

According to the FDA, shrimp contains 0.009 mercury concentration mean (PPM), and that puts it on the third lowest spot of mercury levels in fishes and shellfish.

Shrimp has a lower mercury content compared to fish, so you don’t have to worry much about mercury poisoning in your hamster. 

However, you should be wary of the high sodium levels in shrimp as 100g of cooked shrimp contains approximately 111 mg of salt.

Long term consumption of high-sodium food is bad for your hamster as it might trigger health issues such as high blood pressure, kidney failure, and heart problems. 

3. Moderation Is Key 

Shrimp is a great source of protein as it is low in calories, carbs, and fats. What’s more, it is packed with B-group vitamins and rich in minerals such as calcium and iron.

However, moderation is key when it comes to treating your hamster with these little crustaceans. 

Shrimp should only be given as snacks to your hamster occasionally. It should not be included in the main diet for your hamster. 

My Takeaway — In my opinion, your hamster can eat shrimp just fine. Besides considering the factors above, you should also make sure to portion shrimp snacks based on the breed and size of your hamster.

Nutritional Facts of Shrimp

Shrimp boasts an impressive nutritional profile as it is low in calories and packs a lot of minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, etc. 

A 100g serving of shrimp contains:

• Energy: 415 kcal
• Protein: 24 g
• Total Fats: 0.28 g
• Cholesterol: 189 mg
• Sodium: 111 mg 
• Minerals
  • Iron: 0.51 mg
  • Magnesium: 39 mg
  • Potassium: 259 mg
  • Phosphorus: 237 mg
• Carbohydrates: 0.2 g

Source: USDA

Ways To Prepare Shrimp For Your Hamster 

There are many ways to prepare shrimp for your hamster. You can use healthier cooking methods such as baking and boiling. However, the best way to prepare shrimp for your hamster is to simply steam it under a pot of boiling water. 

Steaming the shrimp keeps the flavor intact since you’re not putting it in water and there’s no chance that it will affect the shrimp’s flavor. 

Cut the shrimp into small cubes and let your hamster try it. If your hamster shows no signs of allergy or dislike toward it, then you can start feeding it occasionally as treat. 

Should You Feed Your Hamster Raw Or Cooked Shrimp? 

I’ve noticed on forums and Youtube where some hamster owners feed their hamsters raw shrimp and these little things absolutely loved it! However, I wouldn’t recommend giving your hamster raw shrimp, or raw seafood at all. 

Never feed your hamster raw shrimp as it contains food-borne bacteria as well as parasites that lurk in raw seafood. 

Make sure you cook the shrimp until it’s fully cooked. It’s better to overcook it rather than risk infecting your hamster with vibrio, a bacteria commonly found in undercooked seafood such as fish and shrimp.

How Much Shrimp Should You Feed Your Hamster?

In general, it is recommended that you start by feeding your hamster a small amount of shrimp and then increase the amount gradually as needed.

This will help ensure that your hamster is getting the right amount of nutrition without overfeeding or underfeeding them.

You can follow the guide below: 

1. Breed Of Hamster 

○ Syrian Hamsters (also known as teddy bear or golden hamsters)

Feed your Syrian hamsters a teaspoon of shrimp once every week if shrimp is their only source of protein. Otherwise, give them shrimp every other week. 

○ Chinese Hamsters

Since Chinese hamsters are so tiny, treat them with a teaspoon of shrimp once every month. 

○ Dwarf Hamsters (Roborovski, Campbell, Winter White/Djungarian/Siberian)  

Try giving your dwarf hamsters a teaspoon of shrimp every month and see if they like it. 

2. Size Of Hamster 

○ You need to feed your hamster according to its size. That means the bigger they are, the more food you should feed them. 

3. Other Types Of Protein Your Hamster Eat Besides Shrimp 

○ Consider other protein sources your hamster consumes. This includes other meats such as chicken, turkey, and beef. 

○ If they don’t consume other proteins, then feed your hamster shrimp once a week. Otherwise, give them shrimp once every fortnight. 

Is Shrimp Good For Your Hamster?  

1. It Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties 

Shrimp is packed with astaxanthin, a red pigment from a group of chemicals called carotenoids. In fact, astaxanthin is the primary reason why shrimps are reddish in color.

Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from free radical damage and improves your hamster’s immune system. 

2. Good For Bone Strength 

The phosphorus in shrimp helps to strengthen your hamster’s bone health. It is also a key mineral for your hamster’s teeth, bones, and cells.

Together with calcium, phosphorus builds a healthy skeletal system and promotes good bone health. 

3. Good For Heart 

Shrimp is a great source of omega fatty acids, which is widely known to reduce the risk of heart diseases as it reduces blood pressure and triglyceride levels in the blood as well as raising the “good” HDL cholesterol. 

Is Shrimp Bad For Your Hamster? 

1. May Cause Severe Food Allergy 

Do you know that shrimp is one of the top 9 common allergens in the United States? Shellfish, including shrimp, is a common food allergen for around 2% of the global population, along with peanut, fish, soy, milk, egg, wheat, and sesame.

Like humans, hamsters are pretty tough animals since they live in arid areas in the wild, but they can have allergies to food and bedding as well.

Food allergies in hamsters are pretty difficult to identify as they are not always immediately clear if the source of the allergy is due to their environment or their food. 

However, if you notice your hamster having breathing difficulties and diarrhea, stop feeding shrimp to your hamster. Take it to the vet if the symptoms remain even after you stop feeding your hamster shrimp.

Who knows, your hamster might suffer from a severe allergic reaction and it could be life threatening. 

2. High Salt Content 

According to USDA, a 100 g of cooked shrimp contains around 100mg of salt. That’s a lot of salt! 

Too much salt is bad for hamsters as their tiny bodies might not be able to get rid of large amounts of sodium without harming them.

Long-term consumption of high-sodium foods may even be life-threatening to hamsters since salt can pull water out of their bodies, causing dehydration. 

In the worst-case scenario, your hamster might even die of dehydration as it doesn’t take long for the symptoms to set in. Always be vigilant and monitor the portion of high-sodium foods such as shrimp given to your hamster. 

3. Antibiotic-Resistant 

According to a paper published in Aquaculture Reports, most US shrimp imports from countries like China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam were found to contain excessive sulfite levels and antimicrobial residue due to the use of antibiotics in their shrimp farming process. 

Feeding your hamster shrimps with antibiotic residue in the long term can make them antibiotic-resistant and reduce the efficacy of antibiotics when they fall ill. 

Can Hamsters Eat Prawns?

Can your hamster eat prawn? Wait a minute, aren’t they the same? 

Surprisingly, there’s a difference between shrimp and prawns. Shrimp and prawn are from different branches of the crustacean family tree and they are different species altogether. 

These 2 crustaceans live in both saltwater and freshwater but shrimp is mostly found in the ocean while prawn is found in freshwater lakes. 

Your hamster can eat prawns the same as they can eat shrimp. Since both shrimp and prawn are somewhat similar in terms of nutrition, they can be substituted one for another and used interchangeably for your hamster’s diet. 

Can Hamsters Eat Lobster?

For safety reasons, it is best to not indulge them in these expensive crustaceans 

Like shrimps and prawns, lobster is a type of crustacean found in brackish water and seawater. Since hamsters can eat shrimp and prawns in moderation, you might wonder if they can eat lobster too, since they are from the same family. 

Unfortunately, there’s little evidence of whether hamsters can eat lobster. However, there’s one important fact to consider when looking at how safe lobster is for hamsters. That is the salt content. 

Lobsters contain nearly half of the recommended daily amount of salt for human consumption. This amount of salt is bad for humans, and what more for your little hamster.

Hamsters have a tiny digestive system and too much salt will wreak havoc in their tiny bodies. 

Can Hamsters Eat Frozen Shrimp?

Yes, frozen shrimp is fine for hamsters as long as you thaw it properly. Before you proceed to feed your hamster with it, stop right there! Remember what we talked about feeding your hamster raw shrimp? 

Boil the shrimp thoroughly after you thaw it and make sure it’s fully cooked to make sure all the bacteria, parasite, or even tapeworm is completely killed during the cooking process. 

Can Hamsters Eat Breaded Shrimp?

Breaded shrimps are shrimps coated in breadcrumbs and fried to perfect crisp. It is a delicious appetizer for humans but can your hamster share your crispy shrimp snack? 

Refrain from feeding your hamster breaded shrimp as it is fried in hot oil and too greasy for your hamster. Your hamster has a tiny gastrointestinal system and just like how oily food may upset your stomach, it will upset your hamster’s stomach too. 

Feed them safe meat such as chicken if you want them to have extra protein.

Can Hamsters Eat Brine Shrimp?

Brine shrimp are tiny crustaceans that are widely found in oceans and inland salt waters such as salt lakes in Utah, California, etc. It is commercially farmed and is an important source of food for many marine animals. 

Even though shrimp is safe for hamsters to eat, I prefer not to feed them brine shrimp. 

This is because seawater salinity is the best salinity for brine shrimp hatching and survival. Many commercially cultured brine shrimps are usually farmed in water with salinity around 35-40ppt. 

Water with an average salinity of above 40 ppt is considered a hypersaline environment. This means that they are salty environments that have higher salinity than seawater. 

Naturally, brine shrimps living in water with high salinity are salty and therefore not a preferred food choice for your hamster.

We have talked about the harmful effects of salt on your hamster and how it could cause high blood pressure, dehydration, or even the death of your little pet. 

Can Hamsters Eat Dried Shrimp?

Dried shrimps are safe for your hamster and it is often sold in pet stores as a protein supplement for small animals. However, even though dried shrimps are packed with flavor and full of protein, it is also extremely salty. 

This is especially true if you buy dried shrimps meant for cooking as it is often soaked in salt water before drying under the sun. 

So if you’re planning to give some dried shrimps to your hamster, get them some pet grade, single-ingredient dried shrimps instead. 

Here’s a tip before you indulge your hamster in shrimps – use dried shrimps to train your hamster’s behavior. Hold a dried shrimp with your fingers and wait til your hamster pops its head out and comes to you for the treat. 

Allow your hamster to eat it from your hand. This will help to create a bond between you and your hamster and make it feel comfortable around you. 

Your hamster wouldn’t get any happier other than during snack time! 

Can Hamsters Eat Shrimp Paste? Or Dishes Made With Shrimp Paste? 

Growing up, I used to eat shrimp paste stir-fried with meat and vegetables for dinner. While the shrimpy taste is not my favorite, I did wonder if it is safe for my hamster to try dishes stir-fried with shrimp paste. 

Turns out it’s not safe. Why? Let me explain further below. 

Commonly used in Southern Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines, shrimp paste is a condiment made from finely minced shrimps and salt.

The shrimp and salt mixture is then allowed to ferment until it breaks down and forms a thick pulp where the shrimps were beyond recognition. 

First, the salt content in shrimp paste is extremely dangerous for your pet hamster. Second, shrimp paste is made from fermented raw shrimps and it may contain harmful pathogens that may be fatal for your hamster. 

Can Hamsters Eat Prawn Crackers?

Who would resist having a piece of crunchy, salty, and umami piece of prawn cracker? I certainly couldn’t resist it! If you ever wonder whether you could share a small piece of prawn cracker with your hamster, the answer is no.

Prawn crackers are oily and unhealthy, and they could make your hamster sick if they eat too many of them. Stick to feeding them healthy sources of protein such as chicken and beef instead. 

Shrimp Products You Should Avoid Giving Your Hamster 

Steer away from highly processed shrimp-related products. Do not feed your hamster shrimp products that are oily, fatty, and salty. This includes:  

• Raw shrimps/ prawns 
• Shrimp sashimis
• Fried shrimps/ prawns 
• Battered shrimps 
• Breaded shrimps 
• Shrimp crackers 

FAQs

Can Hamsters Have Seafood?

Yes, hamsters can have seafood but it depends on the types of seafood. Hamsters should eat fish as it is nutritious and rich in amino acids, a type of nutrient not found in their staple diet. 

Try to give them small slices of seafood and see if they like it. 

Can Dwarf Hamsters Eat Fish?

Yes, dwarf hamsters can eat fish as dwarf hamsters need their protein and will eat several different meat, fish, and other proteins.

However, since dwarf hamsters are so small in size, feed them every other week if you supplement its diet with other proteins such as chicken and fish. Cut it in small bite sizes so your hamster doesn’t choke on it. 

Can Hamsters Eat Gammarus?

Gammarus are species of crustaceans that are usually found in brack waters. 

Generally, yes – hamsters can eat Gammarus and it’s a healthy snack for them. You can feed your hamster Gammarus by holding it with your fingers. Then, wait till your hammy comes and picks it off you! 

Feeding your hamster this way will encourage trust and bonding between you and your hamster. 

Can Hamsters Eat Tuna Fish?

Even though hamsters can eat shrimp, that doesn’t mean that they can eat all kinds of seafood. Tuna is a fatty fish so it is best to keep your hamster away from tuna with its high-fat and high-sodium content. 

Tuna also contains high levels of mercury and overdosage could lead to mercury poisoning in your hamster. 

Conclusion

Hamsters can eat shrimp as a part of their diet, but it’s not the only thing they need to stay healthy.

Be sure to give your furry friend a variety of food items, including some fresh fruits and vegetables such as spinach, corn, and broccoli in order to keep them healthy and happy. 

This sums up whether or not your pet hamster can eat shrimp and if it’s toxic for them. I hope you have all the answers you need now! 

Have you tried feeding your hamster shrimp? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

Check out this cute little guy devour the shrimp in the video below!